Former Probate Judge Robert Killian To Run For Hartford Mayor

HARTFORD — Longtime Probate Judge Robert Killian Jr. announced his intention to run for mayor Friday. He is the fifth candidate to enter the race.

His announcement came the same day he retired as probate judge after 30 years in the position.

Killian, 68, said his strong ties to the community and ample experience make him a good fit for the city's top job.

"I've had more intimate moments in the people of Hartford's lives than any other candidate who's ever run for mayor," he said.

Through his work as probate judge, Killian said, he's dealt with deaths, sickness, neglectful parents and other family problems.

"I can't go to the supermarket in Hartford without someone coming up to show me a picture of a granddaughter I gave them custody of years ago, now in college," he said. "They know me. They sat with me at a tough time and they know what I value."

Killian said he's not happy with the direction Hartford has taken over the last several years. Property values have declined. City government, he said, has become less transparent and isn't responsive to its citizens.

"There's been this progressive, magical thinking on behalf of the council and the mayor to come up with ideas and concepts that I'm sure they believe will secure Hartford's future, but … they're not where we should be going," he said.

He cited the plan to build a $56 million minor league ballpark north of downtown as an example. The ballpark is part of a $350 million overall development project in that area.

"The ballpark is a problem we have to live with now, but it doesn't do a thing for Harford," Killian said. "That causes me some considerable concern. Hartford's problem is we're broke and if we're broke we shouldn't be building a baseball stadium. It has no possibility, even by their own plan, of generating any kind of return for the city."

City officials said they are grappling with how to close a $48 million deficit for 2015-16. Mayor Pedro Segarra's proposed budget is due out later this month.

Asked how he would close the gap, Killian said he would tap Hartford's rainy day fund in the short term, and in the long term focus on slashing spending and taking a hard look at things like the payment in lieu of taxes program.

"I think we should ask the state to consider reconfiguring PILOT so there's a need factor built in there," he said. "A city that has a population as we do of 13,000 or 14,000 people per taxable acre is entitled to a premium PILOT payment."

He suggested exploring the implementation of a "user charge" for other tax exempt properties, like churches.

Prior to his time as probate judge, Killian worked for his father's law practice in Hartford, as press secretary for Sen. Abraham A. Ribicoff and as WFSB's Washington correspondent. He is married with two daughters and lives on Bloomfield Avenue.

Four others have announced their candidacy for mayor. Segarra who held a press conference saying he would seek a second full term was the first to announce in January. Luke Bronin, a lawyer and former aide to Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, announced later that month. Attorney John Gale and city Councilman Joel Cruz have also filed papers to run.

Bronin, Segarra, Gale and Killian are Democrats. Cruz is a member of the Working Families Party.